facing right in low-cut white dress, gold bordered maroon cashmere stole draped over her right shoulder, cameo profile of a classical figure set as a medallion on gold headband in her curling dark hair, gold mount with blue enamel outer border Christie's London . A very strong bid indeed since this important miniature carried a pre-sale estimate of £ 7,000 to 9,000. Isabey was Napoleon's favourite miniature painter. Originating from Nancy, eastern France, he met success in Paris under various regimes until the reign of Napoleon III. During the same sale a double-sided snuff-box set with a pair of miniatures representing a young lady by Isabey, facing left in low-cut white dress, red bordered pale green cashmere stole draped over her shoulders, curling brown hair, and a young boy by Frédéric Dubois (active between 1780 and 1820) fetched £ 14,687 (US $ 22,300) (inclusive of buyer's premium) against a top pre-sale estimate of £ 15,000. |